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As 2020 fast approaches time to reflect on the year that was 2019!!

1. What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?

I was installed into the Chair of Zerubbabel in February, which was attended by some of my good masonic friends and Brothers.

Went on a Cruise Ship holiday to Norway.

Nearly drowned in the North Sea

Exalted an old friend into the Royal Arch.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

 The Plans were :

  1. Read 12 books  –
    1. I have certainly read a lot more this year,
    2. I completed the 2 most recent books from the 7,6,5,4,3  range. Matthew Reilly
    3. I read the scarlet Gospel by Clive Barker it has been a while since I have read his work
    4. I have read and completed 3 masonic books and have on the go about 9
  1. Sort our St Edmund’s  Website –
    1. Done this,  needs more content but it is up.  But once we know the group’s status we can then look up at getting a donation button.
  2. The draft version of the book by December 2019
    1. Ah well, have not got I draft version ready,  I have lots of notes and this is more difficult than writing a paper but, I have got to 2 drafts (rough) chapters in progress and I hope to be further into them before 2020

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Well the fish in the in the Big tank spawned more which was odd as we thought they were all dying.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No one that comes to mind, there have been Brothers that have passed away but I have not known them well.

5. What countries did you visit?

Norway – Cruise Liner Holiday

Scotland – Edinburgh & Helensburgh – in the Caravan

Wales – The usual trip to Llangollen for the walk around Crow Castle  – in the Motorhome

6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?

A draft book ready to fine-tune

More use of my bed

7. What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

7th Feb – Installed into the Chair of Z

1st Sept – the Worst trip back from holidays  in the Van

15th Oct – Dad’s 50th Celebrations in Freemasonry

19th Nov – Rob being installed into the Chair of S 0 and giving him the Address to the Master

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Sorting out two websites

Exalting Colin into Chapter

Spending some quality time with the family.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not spending enough time with kids.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I was ill with a Flu type bug that had me on my back for almost 5 days, something that I have no previous memory of being ill for that long. Nor had my parents

I strained my right knee joint at Karate, but it seems to be ok now,  doesn’t help Indy likes to smack it every now and again when trying to remove her muzzle.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Not sure, my new headphones as cool and so are the Binoculars I also treated myself to.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Dad, for his grounding in life and general outlook

Helen, for getting a new job and should do a great job.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

The groups that think it is fine to be rude about people for their political views.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Car, family, and books

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

  1. Holidays

16. What song will always remind you of 2019?

That is difficult it is either

Noisestorm – Crab Rave

Pegboard Nerds  – Purple People Eater

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier

b) thinner or fatter? Thinner – Healthier eating, exercise.  Means my body is not as fat as it once was.

c) richer or poorer? About the same – there was a surprise bonus as the company was sold, but still, no pay rise which means workwise I am less a happier than it could be

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Research on the book and time with the Family.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Being easily distracted by things

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

With the family and my Parents in law

The Mylett’s are up for New year

21. What was your favourite month of 2019?

August – just had some great times with the family

22. Did you fall in love in 2019?

Helen.

23. How many one-night stands?

Zero

24. What was your favourite TV programme?

Difficult really as nothing really  stands out, but Silicon Valley’s last series was very good.

Also enjoyed the Jack Ryan series

25. Do you hate or dislike anyone now that you didn’t hate or dislike this time last year?

No not really, or not that I can think off.

26. What was the best book you read?

The Three Secret Cities by Mathew Reilly

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The best discovery was Monstercat  about 2/3 years ago and it is the gift that just keeps giving:

Slandar

Pegboard Nerds

Koven

The list is goes on

28. What did you want and get?

A set  of Keys

29. What did you want and not get?

A review with my Boss.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

Avengers Endgame  or Captain Marvel or Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Time with the family, 42

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more

The love of family and friends

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?

Jeans, T-Shirts and Trainers

With suits thrown into the mix

34. What kept you sane?

Family

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Probably – Brie Lawson

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

It was a General Election year, so not know who to vote for was kind of irritating

37. Who did you miss?

Hunni

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Not met anyone new this year that warrants the term “best” sorry.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.

Talking to people about your problems is a better way to find a solution

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

One Eyed, One horned, Flying purple People eater!!  

The annual meme is back so as 2018 draws to close it is time to review the year as it is, as it was. Reflecting on life that has been led by me in my Pete-centric universe.

1. What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before?

A bit lame, but I have never been SD in the Craft or JW in the Mark.  I now have those Job in each order.

I have also never done a family history search before and I have investigated the Masonic legacy of the my Great Grandfather.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No as I planned to read 12 books in the year and only did

  1. Origins
  2. Darkness Visible: The Secret of the Vaults: Volume 1
  3. Royal Arch Journey
  4. Tracing Boards of the Three Degrees in Craft Freemasonry Explained
  5. The Transformation of Freemasonry

I am partway through 3 books but am unlikely to reach 12 this year so will added it to the list for next year.

2019 – Plans

  1. Read 12 books
  2. Sort our St Edmund’s  Website
  3. Draft version of the book by December 2019

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Sister in law – had another child – Emily so I think I am an uncle in law again or is that still!!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

The sad passing or W.Bro Reg Holbrook-  a friend, confidant and Random bloke with a white Labrador when I was young  Paper Boy.

5. What countries did you visit?

Well it was certainly the year of the Caravan.

  1. Capesthorne Hall (Cheshire)
  2. Ynys Mon (Wales)
  3. Flamborough (North Yorkshire
  4. Llangollen (Wales)

Then in November  & December we went to North Lakes.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

  1. Still, more sleep but to be fair to Callum is getting better, but next year he loses the ball and chains. This may increase his need to arrive in our bed at 4am.
  2. Structure and Plan for Masonic Learning
  3. More confidence in myself.

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

To be fair, it has been an eventful year in public and private life. But no dates truly spring to mind.

It was great to get a visitation from the Gord and Prof and look at St Edmund’s.  But on the whole a fun packed year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

  1. Giving another lecture in the lodge as I was unsure if me and the lodge are compatible but to be fair  they are a good bunch of people.
  2. Staying at the job whilst is got boring and dull and quiet and dealing with some horrible and distasteful parts.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not being as patient with  Henry and Callum as I should be…

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing springs to mind.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

  1. Laptop
  2. New Caravan
  3. Smart watch
  4. PS4  – although this may have been a bad idea

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Henry:

  •  he is almost at the correct level at school ability, despite being investigated for ADHD and Autism
  • Can Walk 7 miles and not complain
  • Loves riding his mountain bike –  16 miles  (Hebden Bridge to Home)

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

Depressed  – Public Sector companies

Appalled – The Pollical landscape of the country

14. Where did most of your money go?

Household stuff – a New Caravan

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

  1. Meeting Gord again, catching up with the Myletts in Anglesey

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?

The Vine  by  Tristram

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier

b) thinner or fatter? Thinner  – well I eat 5 pieces of fruit and Veg a day and now as the wife cooks we are on Phat Klub  rations

c) richer or poorer? About the same – but a pay rise would go a miss.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

More fun time with the kids

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

More  Patience with the Kids and less shouty

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Christmas this year was at home with family and My parents and then the in-laws on Boxing day. In a bid to control Henry’s excitement

21. What was your favourite month of 2018?

December – Adventures in the Lakes, then new things in Craft, Mark and Chapter.

22. Did you fall in love in 2017?

With the one that calls me Husband

23. How many one-night stands?

Zilch

24. What was your favourite TV programme?

I have enjoyed:

  • Forged in Fire
  • Curse of Oak Island
  • Condor

25. Do you hate or dislike anyone now that you didn’t hate or dislike this time last year?

I have come to dislike MPs

26. What was the best book you read?

Royal Arch Journey – Rev. Neville Barker Cryer

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Grabbitz

Tristram

Mr Fijiwiji

28. What did you want and get?

A Laptop and a SmartWatch

29. What did you want and not get?

Sleep, but I seem to be doing ok

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

  1. Avengers – Infinity Wars
  2. Tomb Raider

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Nothing, 41

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more

More patience with the kids

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

Jeans and T-shirts – Although having had a beard for most of the year, but now I am beardless. Ok as I type this I have stubble but that’s cos I am on a break!!

34. What kept you sane?

The wife and Masonry

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Alicia Vikander  – the new Lara Croft

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

The WTF Brexit situation, still no deal agreed by Parliament and we leave in March!!

37. Who did you miss?

Hunni – She has passed from this place to another place, God rest your canine soul.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

I have met a lot a great people too numerous to name.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.

With great friends comes interesting challenges and fun times.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.  

Better with Time by Grabbiz – “Yeah, I hope it gets better with time”

So Callum’s birthday party, Helen decided to organise an afternoon tea 3pm at the in-laws then a BBQ at ours at 5pm

At 2:59pm she decided the old gas BBQ was a health hazard and we needed a new one. So bought one from Argos.

Then at 4:58 decided that was the best time to leave her parents. Luckily I nicked a bottle of gas from her Dad.

I managed to build the BBQ and change the regulator and cook before 6:45pm.

So late on night a man sat at his work desk and stared arlt the blank page. It had been a white sheet of A4 for three days.

The first day he sat at the desk and drummed his pencil on the Bud light can on the desk humming the tune of the Chain by Fleetwood Mac. 

The second night he paced the room, shouting for inspiration. Waving his hands in the air looking for a sign from God or a muse or just an idea.

Tonight though it time to start . He picked up his pen and began to write.

The rain had been pouring from the sky for seven days. It had shown no sign of stopping……

Knock knock 

He paused and looked up. Had his office door just knocked. Why he was the only person that lived at his house.

Knock knock 
There it was again. He put the pencil down, stretched his legs pushing his chair back. He stood up and walked to his door he grasped the handle.

Turning it and opening it into his room. There about 3ft tall was a large fully letter Z with arms and feet and two eyes on the top part of the zeds horizontal.

He was about to say something when the creature smiled at him and stretched out its arms. then without any warning jumped at the man, managing to get its mouth on the his neck and then.

“Ouch!!”

The Zees’ teeth sank into the bloke’s neck. He began to feel light headed and he stumbled and fell to the floor. After another minute the Zed stood up and walked to the open door and left.

“so there we were, sat having a drink. When a motorbike pulled up. He was a thick set gent, wearing full biker leathers. The logo on his back was the Widow Sons North Wales Chapter.”

The man lifted his lid and said is this the café on Horseshoe Pass?

No mate this is the last stop café between ‘dale and Toddy!

What? But I am still in Wales though? 

No your about 20 miles out of Manchester!

Noo I planned this route, Nev thought he knew better. But as I am the President, o know what’s best.
And that Mister Police officer was the last we saw off him. The gent turned and headed of left. We said right but he ignored us, and drove straight off the path towards the cliff.